Jessminder disobeys her parents several times through out the film to do what she enjoys which is playing soccer. The director has created characters to compete with Jessminder’s strong desire to do things she loves. Jess’s mum Mrs Bhamra has the biggest impact on her life. Mrs Bhamra is a traditional Indian parent who pushes her conventional expectations onto her daughters who were born into different cultural worlds, so she hopes to grow her children in the same Indian cultures that she was raised in. her mother says “who’d want a girl who plays football all day and cant make round chapattis?” Jessminder replies, “any
“Bend it like Beckham” is a teen flick about an Indian girl named Jess who wants to play soccer instead of being married like her sister. The main theme is cultural expectations and the moral of the film is “to follow your own dreams and not letting someone else tell you what to do.” / “The world is changing so let me be.” The main dilemma for Jess is either to professionally play soccer or give it up, be obedient and just get married which is the cultural expectation of her parents. The style of the film is quite realistic as it does accept the cultural values and its racial understandings. * Although the film lacks it did have the realism that we all can understand. “Blackrock” is a teen flick which was based on a true story.
The theme culture clash is used instead of favouring either the Indian or the Western culture, the filmmaker shows how the two manage their uneasy coexistence. The Bhamras have raised their daughters according to their traditional Indian-Sikh beliefs and customs, but Jess and Pinky as young British women are equally influenced by contemporary British culture. This often conflicts with their parents’ traditional beliefs and practices. The scene where Jess’s parents find out that Jess has deceived them and gone to Hamburg, Jess’s mother asks her husband “what haven’t we done for these girls?” The girls are in the next room talking about love. This scene demonstrates to the audience the generation gap and clash of culture.
One’s identity is obviously somewhat based on your culture but it doesn’t limit who you are, you have your own identity. Jess believed that she should be able to choose her own career and pursue her interests as well as not being forced into an arranged marriage. She proved this by eventually going over to America to play football (soccer) professionally and falling in love with a non- Indian man. From the close-minded view of a stereotypical person, being a young Indian lady you would never imagine that she would be playing soccer nor dating a non-Indian man. Even
The book is written for modern Americans, and modern Americans would find it in severe distaste to see a girl being blindly obedient to her father even when what he asks of her goes against her own wishes. Modern Americans want to see a strong female character that fights the norms to do what she wants. This is something that is highly valued in modern American culture. For instance, the suffragettes are highly respected historical figures because although it went against all cultural norms, they fought for what they believed in. Similarly, Birdy fights for what she believes in; the right to pick who she marries: I saw Shaggy Beard’s messengers in the yard, talking solemnly to each other.
Her relationship with her parents is good more often than not and her love of soccer apparent. She is a strong athlete, a good friend, and has a bright future. But when she falls sick and the infection infiltrates her heart, things change. Her reactions, though irritating on the surface with her fits and tantrums, is understandable and heartbreaking. Her struggle to comprehend what is happening and her resistance to both the prospect of death and a long rather than short recovery lend reason to her responses.
Bend it Like Beckham Essay “Bend it Like Beckham” directed by Gurinder Chadha in 2002 is a comedy about bending the rules to reach your goal. A Sikh faith family with two daughters, Pinky and Jess are following their dreams. Pinky is about to get married and Jess is preparing to play football which is not acceptable to her parents as it is against their religion for girls to play. Throughout the film the wedding scene and the football scene are shown to be the most important part of the film. This is seen through themes and filming techniques.
It is very apparent from the beginning that Jess and her sister have different ideas of how young women should behave, compared to their parent’s beliefs. You do not see them wearing the traditional Indian clothing. The sisters want to fit in with their British peers, and the era they are living in. Jess is not always enthusiastic about participating in some of the traditional aspects of her culture, although she understands that her parents push her to participate because it is all they know. Religion is a huge aspect presented in the film.
Mrs. Bharma looks at this defiance behavior of her daughter and completely goes against her saying “That’s it, no more Football!” Mrs. Bharma, who expects Jess to behave like a proper Indian woman and Jess, who thinks it is perfectly normal to act like English is an example of a dispute on culture. Not only conflict about culture but Jess also conflicts with her father, Mr. Bharma about racism in sports. Mr. Bharma tries to deter Jess playing soccer by giving her a personal experience he underwent. He mentions that he was a cricket player once in India and was one of the top bowlers there. However, when he came to England, English people
In contrast, the same idea of a woman following her own mind is considered normal in American society. June and the rest of the daughters are being raised to think being obedient is best but in a society that encourages freedom. Marriage is another cultural difference the mothers have with their daughters. The mothers were raised to believe they were never to remarry after their husbands have died. The daughters disagree and believe divorce is ok.